I juli 1846 färdas fem personer med häst och täckt vagn genom en mörk skog. I vagnen sitter magnetisören Volger, hans hustru Manda (som är förklädd till man och kallar sig herr Aman), hans gamla mormor och hans medhjälpare Tubal. På kuskbocken sitter kusken Simson.
A traveling troupe, led by Dr.Vogel a hypnotist and magician, travel through the night to 19th Century Stockholm.
Vogler is accompanied by a witch of a grandmother, who makes love potions, and his wife who is dressed as a male assistant. In the city they are examined and humiliated by a committee headed by a cynical medical officer.
The troupe puts on a special private performance for the medical officer and his committee. In order to stop them from amusing themselves at his expense, Vogler hypnotizes the chief constable’s wife, and she tells of her amorous liaisons. Vogler then mesmerizes a servant, who when released from his trance, rushes at Vogler and apparently kills him. The performances breaks up, and Vogler’s assistant place his body in a coffin which is one of the props of the show, and carry him off.
The medical officer carries out an autopsy on his body. Then Vogler comes back from the dead and physically pursues the doctor through the house. Vogler has perpetrated an illusion on the unbelieving doctor, but is trapped by his own trick. He is rescued by messengers from the King who arrive to summon him to give a command performance at the palace....more